Best Public Tennis Courts in Indianapolis

While Indianapolis doesn’t have a flagship tennis center, the average city park in the area boasts several well-maintained tennis courts, meaning you’ll never have to go far to find one. There are a few especially nice spots, including some with indoor options for the winter months and multiple local universities that are open to the public.

1. Riverside Park Tennis Complex

• Address: 2420 E Riverside Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46202
• Access: Free
• Details: 12 Courts, lights

With twelve lighted courts and practice walls, Riverside Park is one of the premier public complexes in Indy. There isn’t any pro shop or office but it is a free location with extremely well kept courts. There is plenty of parking available and Riverside Park overall is a safe and idyllic setting for tennis.

2. Garfield Park Tennis Courts

• Address: 2345 Pagoda Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46203
• Access: Free
• Details: 8 courts, no lights

Indianapolis’s oldest park is also one of its biggest, with over 100 acres and a huge variety of activities and amenities, that include it’s 8 tennis courts. As a free location, there are plenty of courts to just show up and play. There are pickleball lines drawn on the courts so you may have to contend with pickleballers using the courts. If you live anywhere in south Indianapolis this is an ideal location to take lessons or just head out and play with friends.

3. Frederick Douglass Park Tennis Courts

• Address: 2547 Ralston Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46218
• Access: Free
• Details: 4 courts, no lights

Frederick Douglass Park in the Oakhill neighborhood has gone through a big update in the last few years and the tennis courts are a standout as well. Very well maintained, they are a really good free option close to downtown. Parking is available at the family center right next to the courts. Unfortunately, there are no lights available to play at night.

4. UIndy Tennis Center

• Address: 2727 National Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46227
• Access: Open to the public, membership fees or $38 for non-members
• Details: 7 indoor tennis courts

The UIndy Tennis Center is a great option for indoor tennis in the winter months, especially for those on the southeast side of town. The $28 court fee, plus $10 per non-member isn’t cheap but worthwhile if you want to play through the winter. They also have memberships available if you want to play more frequently. They do also put on clinics and lessons if you are looking for those outside of just a place to play for fun.

5. Tarkington Park Tennis Courts

• Address: 45 W 40th St, Indianapolis, IN 46208
• Access: Free
• Details: 5 Courts, no lights

While Tarkington Park’s tennis courts are lacking lights or practice walls, they’re also well-maintained. There are six courts, so you usually won’t have to wait for a court. The park itself is also a charming spot with a cafe, splash pad, and picnic shelter. If you live downtown, just head up N Meridian and park in the lot off of 40th. As far as free, low key options go, these are certainly some of the best courts in Indy.

6. Arsenal Tech High School Tennis Courts

• Address: 600 N Oriental St, Indianapolis, IN 46202
• Access: Free, outside of school hours
• Details: 6 courts, no lights

Just across I-70 on the east side are the Arsenal Tech High School Tennis Courts that are free to use outside of school hours. If you park in the student lot right next to the courts it’s also free parking. The courts are in solid condition but unfortunately there aren’t any lights. Typically they are not crowded or used by pickleball players.

7. Broad Ripple Park Tennis Courts

• Address: 1426 Broad Ripple Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220
• Access: Free
• Details: 6 courts, no lights, pickleball lines drawn

Live up in the residential northern park of Indy? Broad Ripple Park offers six well-maintained courts with convenient parking. These are certainly considered off the beaten path. Annoyingly, the pickleball lines are drawn across the net so only one group of pickleballers can play on a court at a time instead of the normal two. So if pickleballers are playing there they will use twice the space.

8. Ben Davis High School Tennis Courts

• Address: 1200 N Girls School Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46214
• Access: Free, outside of school hours
• Details: 20 courts, lights

Kind of preposterous Ben Davis High has 20 courts but tennis enthusiasts who live on the west side of Indy aren’t complaining. These are probably your best court options if you live west of downtown. Really well, maintained with lights, you probably won’t have to wait or have trouble parking if you choose to play here. Because they are high school courts, you can only use them outside of school hours.

9. Sahm Park Tennis Courts

• Address: 6801 E 91st St, Indianapolis, IN 46250
• Access: Free
• Details: 4 courts, no lights

North of 465, practically in Fishers, is Sahm Park and its four tennis courts. Sahm Park is a huge, beautiful facility probably better known for its golf course or disc golf course but if you live in the area the courts are solid and free. They don’t have any lights and could use a smidge of TLC but they are a perfectly good option to have a bit of fun on the tennis court.

10. Christian Park Tennis Courts

• Address: 4200 English Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46201
• Access: Free
• Details: 3 courts, no lights

While it only has three courts, its convenient neighborhood location and family-friendly atmosphere makes this a popular destination in the neighborhood, and relatively low demand for tennis in the area means that you’ll be able to get a court if you need one. It’s relatively close to Ellenberger Park, making it a great backup option if you can’t get a court there.

Indianapolis’s Public Tennis Courts Compared

Facility	Amenities	Availability	Location	Cost
Riverside Park	Lights, practice walls	12 courts, no reservations	Near Westside / Eagledale	Free
Garfield Park	Lights	8 courts, no reservations	Garfield Park	Free
Frederick Douglass Park	None	4 courts, no reservations	Oakhill	Free
UIndy Tennis Center	Indoor courts, locker room, lounge	7 courts, reservation required	University Heights	$28 per court time, plus $10 per non-member
Tarkington Park	none	5 courts, no reservations	Butler-Tarkington	Free
Arsenal Tech High School	none	6 courts, no reservations	Near Eastside	Free
Broad Ripple Park	none	6 courts, no reservations	Washington Township	Free
Ben Davis High School	Lights	20 courts, no reservations	Chapel Hill-Ben Davis	Free
Sahm Park	none	4 courts, no reservations	Castleton	Free
Christian Park	none	3 courts, no reservations	Christian Park	Free

How We Ranked the Courts

All things being equal, more courts are better. While there are some real gems out there with only a court or two, it’ll often be tough to get court time there, especially if you can’t make a reservation. Amenities like lights, practice walls, and pro shops are the next most important factor, since these can improve the quality of your experience and make it easier to play after dark or get some solo practice in. Finally, we’ll consider the surrounding area. Playing in a quality park, especially one with other amenities to enjoy before or after your set, is always a pleasure.

The best public facilities in town are probably at UIndy and Butler University, but those courts have some serious limitations in terms of availability and price. Luckily, there are plenty of excellent public parks to choose from, especially Ellenberger and Garfield Parks. We shouldn’t sell the other city parks short, though. Indianapolis has an excellent park system, and even the lower-rated spots on this list offer several courts in beautiful settings.